


Untitled in the middle

by OlianderWilde



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Severus Snape Lives, Snarry-A-Thon20
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23880937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlianderWilde/pseuds/OlianderWilde
Summary: In August, Severus and Harry celebrate after Severus is exonerated and wake up to find they have had sex. Severus leaves without a word, but Harry is determined to pursue a relationship and returns to Hogwarts September 1st as an 8th-year student.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Comments: 36
Kudos: 166
Collections: Snarry_a_Thon20





	Untitled in the middle

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by the lovely Rexluscus and Hippocrates460 (Thank you), which was exciting! They helped me out guys, super fun!
> 
>  **Prompt:** In August, Severus and Harry celebrate after Severus is exonerated and wake up to find they have had sex. Severus leaves without a word, but Harry is determined to pursue a relationship and returns to Hogwarts September 1st as an 8th-year student.

_Severus Snape woke up with a groan. He was at St. Mungo's hospital in a private room._

_'Good to see you awake, sir.' Snape turned his head quickly, causing a sharp pain to shoot through his neck. When he went to raise his hand to his neck to apply pressure, he noticed his wrist was handcuffed to the bed. 'Sorry about that, I tried to tell them to take 'em off but they just wouldn't.'_

_'You're alive.'_

_'Err, yeah, I didn't expect to be. You're alive too if you didn't notice.'_

_'Indeed. Why are you here, shouldn't you be off celebrating? Assuming of course that you killed the Dark Lord…'_

_'Yeah, he's long dead and I've already celebrated, the battle was three months ago. Nagini really did a number on you by the way, the healers said you'll always have those scars.' Harry pointed at the network of scar tissue running from the bottom of Snape's left shoulder all the way up his neck. Once Snape understood what he was looking at he quickly pulled the sheets over himself with his free hand. 'Just so you know, I didn't kill him, Riddle, I mean. I cast to disarm him, his own killing curse rebounded on himself.'_

_'So… he caused his own death? How ironic.' Snape drawled._

_'Yeah, look, I really am sorry about the cuffs, once you're awake enough they're going to take you to Azkaban, then you'll have your trial and be exonerated. They're just trying to get the paperwork done properly is all, you'll be a free man soon enough, I'll see to it.'_

_'Azkaban…'_

_'It's not so bad anymore without the dementors. You'll be out of there in a jiff. I've been putting the pressure on the Ministry so you won't spend long there, I promise.'_

_'And how could you possibly be certain of my exoneration?'_

_'Well, not certain but I do have a lot of influence, you know, figured I may as well use it for something.' Harry smiled._

~%~%~%~%~%

Harry arrived on Platform 9¾ just after 9 o'clock hoping to avoid the press, who had spent the last few months trying to get photos of him. There were still nearly two hours before the Hogwarts Express was due to leave King's Cross Station but still, he was not the only person who had arrived early. Two bright camera flashes went off in quick succession, almost blinding Harry. Seconds later he felt a warm hand grab his and pull him in the direction of the train. The bright flashes were constant for almost a minute after he had taken his seat in the only occupied compartment.

'I had hoped they would have got the hint and left us alone, we've only been sitting here with the curtain drawn for the last hour,' said Draco when Neville returned with a dazzled-looking Harry.

'I think we could have been here yesterday and they still would have been camped out waiting.' Added Hermione, 'Harry, are you doing okay?'

'Hi everyone, yeah, sorry I'm late… the Circle line was delayed.' Harry took the spare seat next to Ginny. 'Anyone else coming?'

'Luna, but I think she might be coming closer to eleven with everyone else, I'm not sure.'

'Cool, so do you guys know what's going on this year, who's teaching?'

'No clue, but it'll be different for sure.'

'Draco, did you talk to Snape at all?' Harry asked.

'Uh, no. I sent him a letter but he never got back to me, didn't he stay with you after the trial?'

'Err yeah, umm but just overnight, we didn't really talk, I don't even know if he is coming back to teach.'

'I hope not, he was a terrible teacher.' Said Ginny.

Harry frowned. 'I think he was actually pretty good. I mean, yeah, he was completely awful to us, but he knew his subject, and did his best to protect everyone.'

'I don't know if I'm allowed to say this now that the war is done,' said Neville, 'but in my first year, he called me into his office and explained that if I ever needed help with potions that I could come and ask him questions. So whenever I had detention with him we would go over potions, and I learned a lot, but he was still really mean and scary. I wasn't allowed to tell anyone, he made me swear and said that if I couldn't keep it a secret it was okay but then he couldn't help me.'

'I didn't know that. If you had tutoring, how come you're still so awful at potions?'

'Draco! That's mean.' Hermione chastised him.

'No, it's not, I know I'm terrible at potions. It just makes me stressed, the idea that one wrong move could cause an explosion or a deadly gas, my head gets foggy and I can't concentrate.'

'I suppose I was a bit like that with Defence exams, the written exams were easy but as soon as it came to the practical, I knew what to do but it was still different,' said Hermione.

'I don't think any of you actually ever knew my potion marks but I got nearly all outstanding marks on my homework. I hope Snape comes back; you don't think he would teach defence again?'

'I don't know,' said Harry, 'everyone always said he wanted the defence position but I think he enjoyed potions. He would always brew for the Order and even when Slughorn started teaching, Snape was the one to do all the potions for the hospital wing.'

'That's if he comes back at all, did you get a look at his scars? I can't believe he survived after that.' Said Ginny.

'Draco, what did you think of Professor Snape?' Neville asked.

'Well... he was always very good to us Slytherins, helped us out, especially when Dumbledore was being biased, which was pretty much always. Like, remember in our first year? We earned all those house points, won the House Cup, and then Dumbledore just came along after we won and gave you all so many points. I know a lot of us felt cheated. Not to lessen what you guys went through with everything, but we were eleven and I just thought it was a nasty thing to do. Anyway, Snape actually gave us all Cauldron Cakes that night, it wasn't much but it meant a lot at the time.' The group collectively hummed and Draco took that as permission to continue.

'I know Snape was really awful to you all during class, and so was I, especially to you Harry and Neville, and once again I am sorry for that.' Draco sighed. 'It doesn't excuse all the nasty things he did and said to you all but, for what it is worth, I think the way Snape behaved was his way of making it up to us; a lot of the other kids were just regular, non-death-eater-to-be kids and they came into the school and immediately were treated worse than in any other house. Me though, I was a jerk and I deserved it but I know a lot of others didn't.'

'That was Snape.' Harry said softly, looking at the covered window. He looked around and saw everyone staring at him, looking for an explanation.

'Snape was one of the non-death-eater-to-be kids. He came to Hogwarts wanting to be safe from his family, to keep being friends with my mum and learn. He heard from his mum that Slytherin was the best house to be in, they were clever and cunning, so he wanted to be in Slytherin.' Harry turned his head back to lean on the curtained window, eyes closed. 'My dad started bullying him before he even made it to the castle. He wasn't really allowed to be friends with my mum because she was in Gryffindor, and Dumbledore always took the Marauders' side… no one was ever there to stand up for him.'

'Yeah,' Draco cleared his throat. 'Except at least _we_ had _him_ to stand up for us. And now those Slytherins are going to have Blaise and me to stand up for them until one day they're not going to need anyone to stand up for them.'

'Us too, they're going to have us.' Harry said and the rest of their group hummed in agreement. After a few minutes of chatting about old house rivalries, Harry kept glancing over at Draco, looking away when he noticed him watching.

'Harry, did you want to say something?' he asked, confused.

'Uh, maybe, do you mind if we have a word, privately?'

~%~%~%~%~%

_'After the trial, there'll probably be a lot of reporters harassing you, they'll be camped out at Spinner's end and probably anywhere else you might go. That's what it was like for Draco and your case is even more high profile so…'_

_'Draco, is he alright?'_

_'Yeah he is good, stayed with me for a bit, then he had to go into hiding with his mum, we've been owling back and forth and he asked me to tell him when you wake up. He is coming back to Hogwarts for the new term so you could see him then if you wanted. A lot of us are going back to get our N.E.W.Ts.'_

_'I see, and what of Lucius?'_

_'He's in Azkaban for the time being; he never lied at the trial, confessed to everything and is doing his time. Draco understands it was the right thing to do, probably more than anyone, but I think it is still hard for him.'_

_'Of course.'_

_'Look, what I was going to say about, after the trial… if you wanted. Or if you just needed somewhere to camp out…'_

_'Spit it out, Potter.'_

_'You don't have to say yes or no either way but you're more than welcome to stay with me at Grimmauld Place. Wait out the media, it is where I'm hiding at the moment. The Castle's wards still need repairing, so I couldn't even stay there.'_

_Snape looked suspiciously at Harry, 'I'll consider it.'_

~%~%~%~%~%

'Uh, yeah, sure.' Draco stood up and walked down the hall into the compartment a couple of doors down; he closed the curtain before any camera flashes could go off.

'Look, you really don't have to hang around me if you don't want to. I realise we both have a complicated history and to go straight from enemies to friends is…'

'What? Oh, no… that's not what I wanted to talk about, I like you Draco, we all do. And you've been through a lot, just like the rest of us; actually, you probably had to deal with even more.'

'You died.'

'It's not a competition, but if it were, you had to kiss Tom's robes.'

'You knew about that?'

'Yeah.'

'Fuck, that's embarrassing.' Draco sat down and put his legs up on the opposite seat. 'So what did you wanna talk about? You've been acting vague.'

'What does that mean?'

'Well, we haven't known each other for long but you keep staring at the window, not noticing what anyone else is doing; you have something on your mind. It isn't anything to do with the war or even Hogwarts, you'd have talked about that. My bet is it has something to do with Snape seeing as that is the only think you've talked about since you got here. I don't know why you wouldn't just tell everyone though, whatever is on your mind, I always thought you told them everything. As far as I was aware, Gryffindors can't keep secrets.'

'Jesus, are you always like this? How are you so observant?'

'I'm not, I'm sure everyone knows there is something on your mind, they're just either too scared or too polite to bring it up.'

'Alright, well, you're right.'

'I know I am.' Draco pulled a packet of Jelly Slugs out of his pocket and offered one to Harry.

'Thanks.' Harry took the orange one and bit at its head.

'Look, you could tell me if you wanted to, whatever is on your mind. It is important to talk to someone.'

'I appreciate that, but I doubt you'd want to know.'

'Right. Well if that was all…'

'Not quite, I wanted some information actually, about Snape.'

'And what makes you think I'd know anything? You would know more about him than I would, you saw his memories, I only really saw the persona he put on for the Dark Lord.'

'Don't play with me Draco, you know him. He is your godfather, he cares about you.' Harry swallowed and looked at his trainers. 'You're really clever, I know you could see past his act, so tell me, what is he like under all that?'

'Fine, yeah I know some things about him but it's nothing you can't figure out yourself.'

Harry looked at him. 'I'm the least observant person in the wizarding world; it took me five years to realise Ginny had a crush on me. The only things I know for sure about Snape are what he looks like and that he wears black robes.'

'Fine. But if you tell anyone, including Snape what I'm about to say, you're going to wish the Dark Lord finished you off.' Harry smiled at him, 'So what do you want to know?'

'What is he like?'

'Private.'

'Okay, not specific enough then… what does he do for fun?'

'It is Snape, he doesn't have fun. He reads and plays chess.'

'Well, what does he like to read?'

'He has a subscription to several potions magazines and other than that, I've seen him read dark arts, more potions books, herbology, defence, magical theory, arithmancy and runes.'

'What else does he like?'

'Potter, I'm trying to be patient for the sake of friendship but this is becoming frustrating. If I knew what you want to know, I'd tell you, but I don't. Snape is very private but if you want to know what he likes just ask him.' Harry groaned, rubbing his face with his hands. 'We don't know each other well yet, I get that, but you need to talk to someone, whatever it is looks like it's eating you alive and I've been there. Talking helps.'

'I have no one to talk to, not about this.'

Draco leaned forward and pulled his wand from his ankle holster. Silently casting some charms, Draco turned his head and kept a low voice. 'You do now. I owe you a life debt, I would die before repeating whatever you tell me in secrecy, I know how to keep a secret. Snape taught me how to occlude my mind. I can recognise Veritaserum and I know how to get around it. If you don't feel comfortable talking to me I understand, but you need to talk to someone. Everyone else on this train fought battles against death eaters with you. We were all there; if you can trust anyone, it is them.'

'It's not about that. It isn't about whether I can trust them, because I already do. It's about… Snape. Does _he_ trust you?'

'Oh... I believe he does; though no one ever knows when it comes to him. What I do know is that I would never betray him; he looked out for me and saved my life countless times.'

'Yeah, he does that.' Harry scoffed. 'I'll talk to you, I just don't know what to say.'

'How about asking me what you actually want to know.'

'Alright, fine. Is Snape the sort of person to… does he sleep around?

'Oh, gods. No, well I don't know, but I can't imagine so.'

'Well, does he date?'

'This is really not what I was expecting. I have never seen him date; my father once hinted that he had a relationship with someone when he was a student but otherwise I've no idea.'

'Right.'

'Do you like… I mean, are you interested in Snape?'

'Is that okay?' Harry's face was red.

'God, yeah, it is fine by me, like who you want, just, I don't know how reciprocal your feelings might be.'

'Actually, I'm not sure I have to worry about that as much as you think.'

'Why? What are you not telling me?'

'We, that night after the trial…'

'You kissed my godfather!' Draco shouted at the realisation, and Harry's face turned an even darker shade of red. 'Sorry, didn't mean to shout, but did you?'

Harry nodded, 'a bit more than that actually.'

~%~%~%~%~%

_'Oh, good evening sir!' Harry said once Snape had stepped gracefully out of the fireplace. 'I'm glad to see the trial went well. I did up your old guest room for you, and I have some lasagne in the oven if you're interested, should be ready in about twenty minutes.'_

_'I am not interested. Who else is here?' Snape walked slowly out of the library._

_'Just me and Kreacher.'_

_'Very well, I am going to my room. Do not disturb me.'_

_'Oh, err, yes, sir.' Harry mumbled as Snape climbed the stairs._

_Later that night, Harry knocked quietly on the door to Severus' room 'Sir,' he said softly, barely above a whisper. 'I know you said not to disturb you but you never had anything to eat, so I brought you up some dinner.' As Harry slowly pushed open the door he heard a muffled sob coming from the bathroom._

_'Professor?' Harry pushed the door open and laid the food on the floor; he walked quietly to the bathroom just in time to see Snape throw up into the toilet, tears streaking down his cheeks._

_'Go away. I did not invite…' Once again Snape threw up._

_'Oh, Professor, here.' Harry rushed to his side, flushed the toilet and scraped his fingers along Snape's head in order to pull his hair together in a loose bun; he held it as Snape heaved against the toilet bowl again._

_'Leave, Potter.' he coughed._

_'I'm sorry, but I can't do that just now, sir.' They stayed in this position for another fifteen minutes until he was sure Snape wasn't going to throw up again. 'You will go now.' Snape said coldly. And Harry would have left, right then, no questions asked. But then Snape winced as he made to stand up._

_'You're hurt.'_

_'I'm fine. Potter, go away.' Snape brushed at his robes._

_'Let me heal you, please, just a couple healing spells to make you feel better. Do you have any potions?'_

_'No.'_

_'Right, well I think there might be some potions in the basement where you used to brew.' Harry left the room before calling out: 'I'll be back, lie down.' Snape grimaced._

~%~%~%~%~%

'You… with... ' Draco swallowed.

'I know, okay, it just happened. I don't know, but he was…' Harry hugged his knees.

'I don't think I want to know, Potter, he is my godfather. I spend Christmas with the man!'

'Right, sorry.'

'You can still talk to me and tell me, that's fine, I just don't think I can handle hearing any of the nitty gritty. It really is fine, but how would you feel if I told you I slept with Ron?'

'Yeah I get it, I guess.' Harry's head rested on his knees.

'So… how did it happen?'

'After the trial, he was hurt, from Azkaban, I found him throwing up in the bathroom. He had a few broken ribs and bruises, god knows what else. He didn't have his wand so I had to heal him; he didn't want me to at first, but he couldn't even keep himself upright. I couldn't leave him like that.' Harry looked over at Draco and he gave him a nod to continue. 'I took off his robes, I had to... for the potions, and I mended his broken ribs; he lay back and I rubbed the potions over his chest and stomach, then his back. He had a shower and I went and got changed into my pyjamas to give him some privacy. He sorted out his legs and did a second layer on his front, then I came back and did a second layer on his back and… next thing I know, I was sort of massaging him.'

'Oh Merlin, Harry!' Draco looked away for a minute, took a deep breath and turned back to him, 'keep going.'

'Well I was doing it a long time and at some point, he fell asleep, and then…' Harry glanced toward the door then back again, the colour in his cheeks looked like it would never fade. 'It is kind of embarrassing.'

'I'm not making fun of you, and I'm not going to.' Draco promised.

'And you're not going to tell him either, right?'

'Not if you don't want me to.' Harry nodded.

'I laid down to watch him sleep, just for a little bit. Then I fell asleep too.'

'So, what happened after that?'

'I woke up, middle of the night like I always do, and I was under the covers. My glasses were off but I don't remember taking them off or getting under the covers. He was right in front of me, like right there, eyes closed and I donno, I moved a little closer. I just wanted to look at him. Then his eyes opened, and we just sort of looked at each other then we kissed.'

'Who kissed… first?'

'I don't know, neither of us really started it I don't think but after that, it escalated and well you said no details but he, I wanted it, and it was all, really very lovely.' A tear rolled down Harry's cheek.

'And when you woke up?'

'He was just gone. No note or anything, I'd have thought I imagined the whole thing but I definitely didn't. Kreacher even told me he'd left.'

'Oh, Harry.'

'I just wish he'd at least said goodbye. Left a note, anything so I knew what to do. I don't even know if I'm going to ever see him again. He never said if he is going to teach this year or not.'

'Hey, it's okay. There, there. Umm, don't cry, how do I stop you crying?' Harry looked up at Draco's flustered face and smiled. 'I'm sorry my godfather was such a jerk.' Draco moved so his hand could rub circles on Harry's back.

'It's just, I don't know how I'm meant to act, what to say, how to be. What if he isn't there? What if I never see him again. If he is there, am I supposed to act as though nothing happened? Am I allowed to shout at him, scream, punch him in the stomach?'

'I think the only thing you're supposed to do is be you. Do what you want but make sure you're aware that if you shout at him in the Great Hall you're going to have to deal with the consequences.' Draco paused. 'So…' he nudged Harry's knee. 'What _do_ you want to do?'

'I don't know, I… I want, I wanna see him again, just look at him... for the rest of time really, Is that embarrassing? I'd like to touch him, too, if I'm allowed, talk to him and stare… I wanna be able to stare at him up close again, memorise him so next time he leaves me I'll be able to, to remember properly.'

Harry wiped away his tears with his shirt-sleeves and Draco stared incredulously. 'Oh my god, you love him?'

~%~%~%~%~%

_When Harry returned to Severus' room, the man was sitting on the edge of the bed, one arm pushing himself up so he wouldn't fall forward, the other clutching at his stomach. 'You should not be doing this.'_

_'Maybe, but you shouldn't be in pain, you shouldn't have to deal with this.'_

_'That does not make it your responsibility.'_

_'Doesn't it?' Harry looked up into Snape's eyes, challenging him. 'Look, obviously something happened after I left you at the hospital and I doubt it happened after the trial, seeing as the media would have been following your every move.'_

_'You're a real Sherlock Holmes, Potter.'_

_Harry scoffed, sorting out all the potions, banishing ones that had expired. 'If I'm Holmes then who does that make you?'_

_'One of the idiots asking for help apparently.'_

_'There is no way anyone could ever think you could be anything close to an idiot, and nor are you asking for help, by any stretch of the imagination. So maybe you are actually the Holmes of the pair of us.' Harry slapped away Snape's hand as he reached for a potion. 'Don't think I didn't notice you changing the subject either, so, who was it?'_

_'It is unimportant.'_

_'Not to me, I could beat them up if you want, I wouldn't even get charged, Kingsley needs my endorsement for the next election.' Snape raised his eyebrows in surprise. 'I have to remove your robes now, tell me if you want me to stop for whatever reason, okay?'_

_'I don't want you doing this at all.'_

_'Let me know if you need me to stop.' Harry started unbuttoning Snape's robes. About halfway through Snape took a sharp inhale of breath. 'Sorry, I'll be more careful.' Snape grumbled, then there was silence as Harry continued to remove the many layers of Snape's attire. When Harry had finished unbuttoning the final layer, Snape's eyes were firmly shut so he did not see the look of anger on Harry's face as he saw the damage that had been done to him. 'How many were there?' Harry breathed, trying to calm himself down._

_'It doesn't matter.' Snape opened his eyes to Harry pacing back and forth, fists clenched._

_'For fuck's sake! I'm sorry Snape, this shouldn't have happened, and not to you.'_

_'I've had to deal with worse on a daily basis, I would have been fine but I don't have my wand.'_

_'Right, sorry, I… I'll get you all fixed up in a bit, I just need a minute to calm down.'_

~%~%~%~%~%

By the time Harry and Draco had returned the train had left the station. Ginny and Luna had left to sit with their year mates. Blaise Zabini, Susan Bones, Stephen Cornfoot and Hannah Abbott had joined their carriage, making it a very tight squeeze. They talked about what they had done in the short break since the war, they got to know each other better and they speculated on what would be different for them this year; the answer of course: everything.

Making their way to the castle, the group of eight were near the front of the waves of students making their way into the Great Hall. On the right hand side, beside the usual four house tables there was a fifth, smaller and blank in its decoration. Behind him, Harry heard a familiar voice addressing their small group. Harry's heart stopped and his stomach leaped. 'Welcome back; those of you returning for your eighth year, follow me.' Snape led them further into the Great Hall and directed them to sit at the new table. Though is was smaller than the other tables, there was still plenty of room for more people to sit there. 'You will all be required to stay behind after the feast, the Headmistress will show you all to your new dorm rooms. If there is anything you require, I will be available to you as your head of house.'

'Who is the Head of House for Slytherin then, sir?' asked Blaise.

'Professor Slughorn.'

'Does that mean you will be teaching Defence again, sir?'

'Indeed it does, Mr Zabini.' Snape looked around the table as if asking if anyone had any questions, though he did not look at Harry, who had not stopped staring at him since sitting down. 'Enjoy your meal.' Snape said. It was then that Harry's brain appeared to start working again.

'Actually, professor, I was wondering if I might be able to have a word with you?'

'Any questions you have can be answered by the Headmistress after the feast.'

It was then that Harry realised he was angry, righteously so. He took a deep breath and it was as if all of his anxieties melted away. 'Actually, _sir_ , I don't think she will be able to answer my questions… though perhaps I could always ask her anyway.'

Snape's face showed a look of surprise for a brief moment before returning to its usual disinterested scowl. 'Very well then, Potter. Follow me.'

Snape led him out one of the side doors of the Great Hall and at once the sound of the students taking their seats faded and there was no one near them, Snape pushed Harry against the wall held tightly by fists clenched against his upper arms.

'You dare threaten me…' Snape growled, voice deep and low, '... in front of the entire school? You have no idea what I could do to you. You have nothing to say to me that you wouldn't repeat in front of the entire student body. We have not seen each other since the Dark Lord's demise. Everything that you think happened, I assure you, it did not.'

'But…'

'It. Did. not.' Snape released him and immediately strode off in the direction of the Great Hall, robes billowing magnificently behind him. He did not look back.

Harry took his seat at the eighth year table only moments before the double doors opened to allow entry to the newest first years, led to the Sorting hat by the new Headmistress. 'Hey, what happened?' whispered Draco.

'Nothing.' Harry grumbled, staring at Snape.

'You're shaking, are you okay?'

'Yeah fine, I just need some air.' Harry climbed out of his seat and headed for the large double doors as the Hall burst into applause at a young girl being sorted into Ravenclaw.

It was dark outside and Harry had immediately left the castle through the entrance hall. He put his hands on his knees and took a deep breath. Looking up after a minute and deciding to take a seat to the side of the courtyard Harry pulled off his tie and from his hand it vanished into thin air.

~%~%~%~%~%

_'Brackium Emendo' Harry cast the spell over Snape's ribs. 'There, does that feel better?' He prodded Snape's once broken chest. Snape grunted in affirmation and Harry nodded. 'Lie back,' he said softly._

_'I'm fine as I am, just get it over and done with.'_

_'Unless you want your bruises to leave you aching for the rest of your life, you need to lie back so your muscles can relax. I could always knock you unconscious if you prefer._

_'You could try.' Snape snorted, rolled his eyes, then complied._

_'Here,' Harry placed another pillow behind Snape's head. As he was taking the lid off a potion bottle and decanting it into a small bowl, he smiled at Snape._

_'Did you want to know something you're going to hate me for?' Snape gave Harry an interested glare._

_'That ah, that was actually the first time I've ever mended bones before.'_

_Snape stared at him, his face contorted and his breathing was getting deeper, ready to shout. 'You insolent, selfish, arrogant fool! You could have killed me! A flobberworm has more sense than you do, Potter!'_

_'Merlin! Don't hurt yourself getting angry sir, come on. Think happy thoughts, like when you knocked Lockhart off the stage when we did that duelling club.' Snape rolled his eyes and stared resolutely at the ceiling. 'This is going to sting, okay? Think more happy thoughts like Umbridge getting chased out of the school by fireworks.' Snape smirked._

~%~%~%~%~%

'Mr. Potter.' Snape's voice called from the entrance hall. Harry didn't look up from where his head was in his hands. 'Mr. Potter.' Snape called again, this time walking towards where Harry was sitting. 'There you are, come, we must get back to the feast.' Harry didn't say anything but looked up at Snape, his face in shock. Then he closed his mouth, clenched his jaw, and frowned as his heart, which had slowly begun to calm, once again started racing.

'You!' he growled. 'How dare you!' Harry stood up.

'Potter…'

'You're just going to act like nothing happened? I didn't know if I would ever see you again! I had no one and you just left!' Harry roared. 'You left! You didn't wake me up, you didn't even leave a note!'

'Potter.' Snape said in a tone that would have sparked fear in almost anyone.

'What am I supposed to do now? How the hell am I supposed to act? I can't pretend nothing happened, Snape!'

'Potter. You need to calm down. Now.'

'No! You left me!' Harry nearly screamed. 'Do I really mean that little to you? That you would tell me nothing happened. Well guess what, it did happen. And if you think it was a mistake, fine, but you don't get to tell me nothing happened! You don't have that right.'

'Potter…'

'You can't even call me Harry, can you?' He asked incredulously, his volume lower. 'Just tell me one thing.' Snape stayed silent, and he took that as permission to ask. 'Why did you ask me to call you Severus?'

Snape gasped and turned away. 'I… I won't answer that. Now please come inside.'

'No. You owe me, for the hell you put me through over the last week. So why, Severus?'

Snape turned to Harry and strode towards him, closing the distance with Harry's refusal to move. He grabbed his shoulders and leaned his head down to kiss Harry's lips. When they broke apart, Snape was gently brushing Harry's hair with his fingers, his other hand wrapped around his back. He slowly let go. 'We will talk about this, I promise you, but this isn't the time nor place for such a discussion.' His voice was gruff.

Harry glared at him, his breathing ragged and visible in the cold night air. 'Fine.'

'Where is your tie?' Snape asked when Harry finally stepped back.

'I couldn't breathe so I took it off.'

'So, where is it now?'

'I banish things when I'm upset.'

'Very well then, here.' Snape held out his hand and a green and silver tie appeared in his palm. At Harry's raised eyebrows he turned it red and gold and rolled his eyes. 'You can wear mine for now.'

'I don't know how to tie it.' Harry lied as he picked it up and slung it round his neck.

Snape turned to look behind him, where the glow of the entrance hall came from, the corner of his mouth tilted up. 'Come here.' Harry took a step forward and Snape reached his hands around Harry's neck to turn up his collar. As Snape adjusted and then began to knot the tie, Harry's eyes closed.

'I don't want you to pretend like nothing happened, please.' Harry whispered. When Snape finished pulling down the collar, Harry opened his eyes, swallowed and licked his lips.

'I won't.' Snape said gently, looking into emerald green eyes, his right hand coming up to brush against Harry's cheek. He stepped back and Harry almost went with him, but steadied himself at the last moment. 'What do we do now then?'

'Nothing,' Snape answered. He must've been able to see the disappointed look on Harry’s face. 'At the very least, until the weekend,' he added. 'Your year will be able to leave the school grounds every weekend. Therefore we could…'

'Dinner!' Harry interrupted him, too eager to stop himself. 'Or maybe just a walk. Lunch? A drink somewhere?'

Snape bowed his head in agreement. 'Now, we must go inside, and I will see you after the feast… Harry.'

'I look forward to it, Severus.' Harry smiled and followed Snape back into the Great Hall.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment here or at [LiveJournal](https://snape-potter.livejournal.com/3908468.html), [Insanejournal](http://asylums.insanejournal.com/snape_potter/1835240.html), or [Dreamwidth](https://snape-potter.dreamwidth.org/1166842.html).


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